Catholics blocked from being Governor-General

Submitted by LJ Holden on 23 September, 2010 - 10:56

Dominic Lawson writes at The New Zealand Herald on the Pope's state visit to Britain. He makes one interesting point:

It is not so long ago that the British establishment would not countenance the idea of a Catholic representing the Queen - and therefore the state - overseas: my father-in-law was vetoed as the Governor-General of New Zealand because he was a Catholic convert.

To this day there is a law denying the possibility for a Catholic to become the head of state, or even for the head of state to marry a Catholic.

This is fascinating for two reasons: the current Governor-General is a Catholic, and it's often claimed that Catholics "don't care" that they're banned because of their faith from being head of state. Of course Governors-General aren't barred from the office for being Catholic any more and it would be shocking if they were. So why is it acceptable for the head of state?

Comments

rich d rich's picture
Submitted by rich d rich on 23 September, 2010 - 12:48.

I'm not sure why Lawson's father in law, an English peer and general with no connection to NZ documented in Wikipedia, would have been considered for G-G. Its been many years since the Brits sent us random superannuated officers, right?

Still it could be worse. I thought for a moment we'd get his brother in law, the noted barking mad climate change denier Christopher Monckton.

LJ Holden's picture
Submitted by LJ Holden on 23 September, 2010 - 12:51.

Not since 1967, so it could easily have been before that.

How's he related to Monckton?

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